State rep. wants utilities to pay property taxes on lines, boxes

The revenue generated would come through money utilities would have to pay directly to the city, the same way you pay Somerville property tax on your house.

S.H. Bagley

Rep. Carl Sciortino, D-Medford, wants the state to be able to tax telecom companies for the lines and switch boxes they put up on municipal telephone poles.

“It’s an issue of fairness,” Sciortino said in an interview. “Local property owners pay their taxes every year, and telecom companies have been exempt from paying their taxes since 1915.”

The telecoms were exempt from paying property taxes during WWI in an effort to spur growth of the industry. “It made sense in 1915,” Sciortino said.

If the amendment passes, Somerville could earn an additional $908,213 a year in new property taxes through revenue generated with Sciortino’s amendment, an aide to Carl Sciortino noted in an email to the Journal.

The revenue generated would come through money utilities would have to pay directly to the city, the same way you pay Somerville property tax on your house.

This would take some of the burden to keep the city running off Somerville residents’ shoulders, Sciortino said. With a tight state budget ahead of us, Sciortino said, “The burden on tax payers is really high.”

Mayor Joe Curtatone did not immediately return a request for comment.

According to the State House News Service, statewide, the total amount of tax revenue cities would pull in could add up to as much as $77 million.

"It costs cities and towns a lot of money not to be able to collect on property that is owned in every one of our communities," Sciortino said to the State House News Service.

“It’s important,” Rep. Denise Provost, D-Somerville, said. “Every city or town will get something.”

The amendment will come up for debate soon, but no definite date was set by the House.